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Planning a Trip to Dublin
Dublin completely won me over. The pubs, the people, the craic — it’s one of those cities that just has an energy to it that’s impossible not to love. It also feels like Boston (my hometown) in the very best way.
It’s incredibly walkable, dripping with history, and has some of the best pub culture in the world. Whether you’re there for a long weekend or using it as a base to explore the rest of Ireland, Dublin is the kind of place everyone shouold visit at least once.
In This Guide:
- **Backpacks & Bubbly Top Pick for Drinks With A View in Dublin**
- Where to Stay in Dublin
- Best Things to Do in Dublin
- Getting to Dublin
- Getting Around Dublin
- How Long to Spend in Dublin
- Best Day Trips from Dublin
- Is Dublin Worth It?
Also check out my full Ireland Travel Guide covering all areas of Ireland and top travel tips!
Disclaimer: This article contains some links where I earn commission through booking. There is no extra cost to you, and I only recommend things I’ve used and love or places I’ve stayed and enjoyed!
✨ Backpacks & Bubbly — Top Pick for Drinks With A View in Dublin
Guinness Storehouse — Gravity Bar
There is truly no better spot for a drink with a view in Dublin than the Gravity Bar at the top of the Guinness Storehouse. Perched seven floors up with 360-degree panoramic views over the entire city, sipping your complimentary pint of Guinness here is a can’t miss in Dublin. The Storehouse itself is a full self-guided experience walking you through the history of the world’s most famous stout — and the highlight is pulling your own pint in their tasting room before finishing with that view at the top. 100% worth the ticket price and the queue.
Where to Stay in Dublin
Dublin accommodation ranges significantly in price depending on the season — the city gets especially busy around major events and the Christmas period. That said, there are solid options at every price point, and location really matters since you’ll be doing a lot of walking.
The Grafton Hotel
I stayed at The Grafton Hotel and absolutely loved it — the location is unbeatable, right in the heart of Dublin near Grafton Street, St. Stephen’s Green, and a short walk to Temple Bar. It’s stylish without being fussy, the on site bar was pretty, and the price was really reasonable even during the busy Christmas season when the city was buzzing. If you’re planning a Dublin trip, this is the spot I’d send you to first.
Best Things to Do in Dublin
Dublin punches well above its weight for things to do — there’s history, culture, great food, and of course the pubs. Here’s what I’d put on your must-do list:
Visit the Guinness Storehouse (and Pull Your Own Pint!)
Even if you’re not a huge Guinness fan going in, you will be coming out. The Guinness Storehouse is seven floors of Irish brewing history, culminating in a pint-pulling lesson and a complimentary pint at the Gravity Bar with panoramic city views. It was one of the my favorite museum-style brewery experiences I’ve done anywhere in Europe. Book ahead — the skip-the-line ticket is absolutely worth it.
Drink Your Way Through Temple Bar
Yes, it’s touristy. No, you absolutely should not skip it. The Temple Bar neighborhood is Dublin at its most photogenic and its most fun — cobblestoned streets, brightly painted pubs, live traditional music spilling out onto the street at all hours. The Temple Bar pub itself is the most photographed spot in the city for a reason. Grab a pint, find a good seat, and soak it in. You can always venture out to local spots afterwards — but Temple Bar deserves your time.
Trinity College & the Long Room Library
If you have even a passing interest in books, history, or just absolutely stunning architecture, the Long Room at Trinity College will take your breath away. It’s one of the oldest and most beautiful libraries in the world — a barrel-vaulted hall lined floor-to-ceiling with 200,000 ancient books and marble busts of scholars. The Book of Kells, a 9th-century illuminated manuscript, is also on display here. Book tickets online and consider a guided tour that combines Trinity with St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Dublin Castle for the full experience.
You need to book these in advance, they’re almost always sold out ahead of time.
Jameson Distillery Tour
The Jameson Distillery on Bow Street is one of Dublin’s best guided experiences — an interactive tour through the history of Irish whiskey, the distillation process, and (the real highlight) a whiskey tasting at the end. Even if you’re not a whiskey person, it’s a genuinely fun and well-done experience. Book ahead, especially in peak season.
Kilmainham Gaol
Kilmainham Gaol is one of the most significant and moving historical sites in all of Ireland. This former prison was central to Irish history — it’s where the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising were executed. The guided tour is excellent and genuinely sobering; you leave with a much deeper understanding of Ireland’s fight for independence. Tickets sell out well in advance, especially in summer — book early.
Relax at St. Stephen’s Green
Right in the heart of the city, St. Stephen’s Green is Dublin’s beloved 22-acre public park — flower gardens, duck ponds, and benches full of Dubliners on their lunch breaks. It’s a lovely spot to decompress between sightseeing, grab a coffee, and just sit and people-watch. Free to enter and perfectly located between Grafton Street and the rest of the city center.
Wander Downtown — Grafton Street, Molly Malone & Dublin Castle
One of the best things about Dublin is how much is just wonderfully walkable. Spend a morning or afternoon on Grafton Street (Dublin’s pedestrian shopping street, usually with buskers performing), stop for a photo with the Molly Malone statue (a beloved city icon), and walk up through the old city to Dublin Castle — open to visitors with gorgeous state apartments and grounds. Add George’s Street Arcade (a beautiful Victorian-era indoor market) to the mix and you’ve got a perfect afternoon wander.
Catch a Gaelic Football Game at Croke Park
If you happen to be in Dublin on a match day, catching a Gaelic football or hurling game at Croke Park is an experience unlike anything else. The atmosphere is electric, the sport is completely unique, and it’s a genuinely authentic slice of Irish culture that most tourists miss entirely. Even outside of match days, the Croke Park stadium tour is excellent. Check the GAA schedule before you travel — a match day is one of those memories you’ll talk about for years.
Getting to Dublin
Dublin is served by Dublin Airport (DUB), one of the busiest airports in Europe with direct flights from most major US and European cities. The airport is about 6 miles north of the city center.
Airport to City Center Options:
- Aircoach (recommended): A private coach service running directly from the airport to key city center stops including O’Connell Street and Grafton Street. Cheap (~€8–10 each way), comfortable, and runs 24 hours. No need to book in advance.
- Dublin Bus (routes 16 & 41): The most budget-friendly option at ~€3.50, though slower and less direct than Aircoach.
- Taxi / Uber: Available directly outside arrivals. Expect to pay €25–35 to the city center depending on traffic. Uber works in Dublin, but traditional taxis are plentiful and equally reliable.
Getting Around Dublin
The good news: Dublin’s city center is extremely walkable. Most of the main attractions — Temple Bar, Trinity College, Grafton Street, St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin Castle — are all within easy walking distance of each other. You honestly don’t need public transport for most sightseeing.
For longer distances or late-night returns to your hotel, Uber is available in Dublin and works exactly like home. Free Now (formerly MyTaxi) is the other popular app-based option and is widely used by locals. Both are reliable and safe — I used them without any issue for late-night rides back from Temple Bar. Traditional taxis are also plentiful at ranks around the city center.
The DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) is the coastal train line you’ll use if you’re heading to Howth — it departs from Connolly or Pearse stations and takes about 30 minutes.
How Long to Spend in Dublin
1 Day
Totally doable if you’re tight on time. Hit Temple Bar, do the Guinness Storehouse, wander Grafton Street, and grab dinner at one of the pubs. You’ll get the highlights in one jam-packed day.
2 Days (Recommended)
The sweet spot. Day 1 for the main sights and Temple Bar. Day 2 at a slower pace — Trinity College, the Jameson Distillery, a longer pub crawl, and a half-day out to Howth on the DART for the cliff walk and some fresh seafood.
3 Days
With a third day, I’d highly recommend a day trip to the Cliffs of Moher & Galways. The drive through the Wild Atlantic Way is stunning, and the cliffs themselves are one of those places that genuinely lives up to the hype. It’s a long day but absolutely worth it.
4 Days
Use day 4 for another day trip — Belfast or the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland are incredible and easily done as a full-day guided tour from Dublin.
Best Day Trips from Dublin
Howth
An easy 30-minute DART ride from the city center, Howth is a gorgeous coastal village with a stunning cliff walk, a beautiful harbor, and some of the best seafood in Ireland. Perfect for a half-day addition to your Dublin itinerary. Read my full Dublin to Howth day trip guide here. Or book a guided coastal tour:
Cliffs of Moher & Galway
The Cliffs of Moher are one of the most dramatic landscapes in all of Europe — 700-foot sea cliffs stretching for miles along the Wild Atlantic Way. Most tours combine the cliffs with a stop in Galway, Ireland’s artsy western city. A long day but absolutely worth it.
Giant’s Causeway, Dunluce Castle & Belfast
Cross the border into Northern Ireland for one of Ireland’s most spectacular natural wonders — Giant’s Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site made up of 40,000 interlocking basalt columns. Most tours also include the clifftop ruins of Dunluce Castle and a walking tour of Belfast. A full day, but phenomenal, and perfect if you’re short on time!
Is Dublin Worth It?
Absolutely! Dublin is one of those cities I genuinely didn’t expect to fall so hard for — I went in knowing it would be fun, and left completely charmed. The people are warm, the pubs are incredible, the history is layered and fascinating, and the city just has this energy to it that’s hard to put into words. It’s not a budget destination, or the most exotic, but it delivers in every way that matters.
If you’re debating whether to add Dublin to your itinerary — stop debating. Go. Even a long weekend will leave you booking your return trip before you’ve landed home. It’s also super easy to visit as a short trip from the US east coast (which I love)
Need More Help Planning Your Dublin Trip?
Check out all of my Dublin and Ireland guides below!
